Perth man may have drowned in Thai river

A Perth man may have drowned in Thailand's Mekong River while he was drunk, an inquest has heard.

The Coroner's Court of Western Australia heard on Tuesday that Leslie Graham Lewis was aged 57 on February 24, 2011, when he was last seen wandering in a dishevelled state towards a temple near the river.

The Duncraig man had a day earlier checked into the Mut Mee Guest House in Nong Khai with his girlfriend, a Thai local, after being hospitalised briefly when he hit his head and fractured an arm in a fall while drunk.

Hospital staff were concerned that he showed signs of alcohol withdrawal, and his girlfriend argued with him when he wanted to drink again that night.

She told Australian Federal Police (AFP) when they travelled to Thailand to try to find the missing man that he tore up his passport during the dispute, then left and was never seen by her again.

The next day, still drunk, he was seen outside the Pantawee Hotel, attempting to drive off in a tourist bus while shouting that he wanted to go home.

The driver wrestled Mr Lewis from the vehicle and he wandered off towards the Mekong River.